Issue 4 December 2013 OSSORY ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT OSSORY TIMES Sharing the life of our Diocese Coming in 2014.... ...more details to follow Following on from the success of the Faith Fest last year, for which approximately 5,000 people were in attendance, this year the Adult Faith Development Group have begun planning a Keynote Lecture... The St Kieran Lecture Keynote Lecture Workshops Concert Displays Hurling Blitz 10k Race Diocese of Ossory St Kieran’s College Ossory Adult Faith The weekend will have a keynote lecture on an issue of importance, workshops, a concert, displays, a hurling blitz, a 10k road race run and much more... St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny May 2014 For further information contact: Ossory Adult Faith Development 056-7753624 [email protected] www.ossory.ie DECEMBER 2013 OSSORY TIMES Editorial Welcome to the latest edition of the Ossory Times. inthisissue Sometimes it is hard not to look back at the earliest Editorial .......................................................... 1 followers of Jesus without a little bit of envy. They Cuirim House ................................................. 2 were there when it all happened. They saw it all first Confirmation Dates in Ossory ...................... 5 hand. Can you imagine the excitement, the energy, The Advent Question? .................................. 6 the enthusiasm?... It would have been easy for them to “sell” their message of Good News. Johnstown Parish Mission ............................. 8 On being a Spiritual Director ....................... 10 But then when you look through the pages of this Carols in St Kieran’s ...................................... 13 edition of the Ossory Times what we find is truthfully Advent and Christmas Thoughts ................. 14 very similar. It is very easy to populate a magazine of this size with many faces and people from around Parsh Pastoral Planning ................................ 16 the diocese. Why? Simply, because there is so much Castlecomer Parish Webcam ..................... 19 going on. No more than in the early days of the Morality Matters ............................................ 20 faith the people of our days of faith are equally as NUIM Kilkenny Campus ............................... 22 energetic and as enthusiastic. From Parish Cells to Gospel Joy .................................................... 24 Parish Missions, from our Schools to the Garda Station faith is, as this publication proves, alive and active Voice of God ................................................ 26 here in Ossory. Kilkenny Garda Station ................................ 28 St Patrick’s Parish Centre ............................. 32 As always we hope you enjoy this publication and Lourdes Youth Pilgrimage ............................ 35 get an insight into all that is happening across our diocese. Comments, suggestions and contributions A Theology of Christmas .............................. 36 are most welcome for future editions. Articles or Religious Education in our Schools ............. 38 Advertisements for upcoming events, or of recent Pope John Paul II Awards ............................ 40 events, can be sent to: Northern Deanery Pastoral Council ............ 43 Ossory Adult Faith Development St Kieran’s College, Parish Cell Groups ........................................ 44 College Road, Kilkenny. Bishop Patrick Coller .................................... 46 Tel. 056-7753624 Email: [email protected] Bible Matters ................................................. 50 Living the Faith .............................................. 52 The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the Quiz Pages .................................................... 55 contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or the Diocese of Ossory. Kilkenny Garda Station within the Kilkenny Community see pages 28-31 Ossory Adult Faith Development Tel 056 7753624 PAGE 1 Email [email protected] Web www.ossory.ie OSSORY TIMES DECEMBER 2013 Cuirim House Brian Donohoe PAGE 2 DECEMBER 2013 OSSORY TIMES In accordance with the Irish monastic tradition, our place is in the midst of the Cuirim House community we serve I am writing this article from our farm in Virginia. One March evening in 2003, my wife and I were sitting by the woodstove, discussing the rich tradition of Christianity in Ireland. We were so inspired by places like Seir Kieran and the founding saints, that we decided we would try to start our own Irish monastery somewhere. By December of 2003, we were the owners of a property in the slums of a Mexican border town. We named our place “Cuirim House”, using the Gaelic word describing how God came to earth in Jesus Christ and walked among us. PAGE 3 OSSORY TIMES DECEMBER 2013 Now looking back over the last 10 years, we are amazed at how much has happened. To look at Cuirim House with all its beds, chapels and gardens, one could hardly find the little house we purchased years ago. Over 2,000 people have come to spend a week with us following the Celtic rhythm of work/ study/prayer/reSt Three times each day we ring the bell and gather in the chapel for a time of prayer or reciting the psalms In accordance with the Irish monastic tradition, our place is in the midst of the community we serve. Each day we go out into the neighborhood and show God’s love through feeding the children or undertaking small construction projects. Many people live in homes made of pallets and particle board. Putting a cement floor in these homes makes life bearable, especially during the rainy season. Years ago, I served as the president of the board for the Catholic retreat center here in our town. During my time as president, we doubled the size of our building because so many people were seeking a place of prayer. We have seen the same desire expressed by the Mexicans and Americans who come to stay with us at Cuirim House. Our participants come PAGE 4 DECEMBER 2013 OSSORY TIMES from many different Christian faiths. We encourage them to draw from the rich DIOCESE OF OSSORY well of the Irish monastic tradition and return home inspired to engage more DATES FOR fully in the work of their own parishes and congregations. CONFIRMATION 2014 My great grandfather came from Seir FEBRUARY Kieran parish in Clareen. Over the years Saturday, 1st Slieverue we have made several trips to the Sunday, 2nd Galmoy monastic site, often bringing friends from Saturday, 8t Camross America who want to see where the idea Sunday, 9th Danesfort for Cuirim House originated. Each time Saturday, 15th Tullaherin we learn more about those early Irish Sunday, 16th Tullaroan saints and marvel at how they pursued a deep prayer life while serving the people MID TERM in the community. In my opinion, no other Christian movement so embodies love of MARCH God and love of neighbor. I am often Saturday, 1st Castlecomer invited to travel and speak to people who Sunday, 2nd Seir Kieran wish to learn more from those early Irish Saturday, 8th St Patrick’s saints. Churches today are experiencing Sunday, 9th Lisdowney a shortage of trained leaders and are Saturday, 15th Johnstown looking for wisdom in how to address Sunday, 16th Aghaboe the challenges before them. Those early Saturday, 22nd St Canice’s saints honoured the sacred scripture Sunday, 23rd Templeorum and believed in the power of prayer to Saturday, 29th St Mary’s overcome obstacles more daunting than Sunday, 30th Freshford the ones we currently face. Many left all they had to seek first the Kingdom of APRIL God. We need such inspiration, wisdom Saturday, 5th St John’s and confidence in Christ if we want Sunday, 6th Ferrybank our grandchildren to have the same Saturday, 12th Thomastown richness of faith we currently enjoy. New Sunday, 13th Dunamaggan leaders must be raised up in the coming generations and who can go forth in the EASTER power of such saints as Patrick, Columba, Kieran, Brigid and Brendan. MAY Saturday, 3rd Rosbercon Now the Mexicans are on to the idea. Sunday, 4th Mooncoin Two couples from the Cuirim House Saturday, 10th Castletown neighborhood have chosen property for Sunday, 11th Conahy their own monastic sites hundreds of miles Saturday, 17th Kilmacow further south into Mexico. One of these Sunday, 18th Aghaviller leaders decided to open a hospitality house for travellers. I asked him why he ANNUAL DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE wanted to do this and he said to me in TO LOURDES Spanish, “well isn’t that the way the Irish Christians shared the good news of Jesus JUNE Christ? If we are going to follow in their Saturday, 31st Ballycallan footsteps, we should be doing the same Sunday, 1st Windgap thing.” PAGE 5 OSSORY TIMES DECEMBER 2013 Michael Rice and Lester Ryan in conversation with Fr Jim Murphy in St Canice’s Church The Advent Question? A Conversation on life and faith in St Canice’s Parish Kieran O’Shea In St Canice’s Parish the question arose as their leisure and their relationship with the it does in every community: What are we community? going to do for Advent? There followed the familiar pattern of ideas; Advent The answer came in the form of a talks, scripture sharing, celebrating the suggestion that some familiar faces in Sacrament of Reconciliation, promoting our community be invited to share about the resources of the Ossory Faith themselves and the impact of faith in Development Group etc., etc., their lives. The format was not to be the traditional ‘talk from a guest speaker’ but While these were welcomed as good one more familiar to the world of TV and and worthwhile initiatives the ‘growing in Radio: The Interview!